Critic Reviews

If electronic billiards games were as commonplace as baseball simulations, Side Pocket would still stand out for its superb recreation of the sights, sounds and ambiance of pool and for its creative modifications of traditional pocket games. Considering the dearth of pocket billiard contests, Side Pocket is more like a minor miracle.

I'm going to go out on a limb with this one, and call it the most fun video pool game EVER. I remember playing the challenging one-player mode for hours in 1993, and playing it today only confirms how great it is. Granted, there are few options, and no fancy 3D angles like those in modern pool games. But this game is SO much fun. Besides the two-player modes, there is an extremely addictive one-player game where need to score a certain number of points to make it to the next level. You score points by making consecutive shots or sinking balls in numeric order. Various imaginative trick shot opportunities are presented to you between rounds. The control is excellent and easy to learn. I really love the jazzy background lounge music - it adds atmosphere. The graphics are also very attractive. Side Pocket is a real gem.

Side Pocket is a great game for pool enthusiasts and casual video game pool players alike. There are plenty of great options and genuine pool strategies to keep serious players interested and yet it's simple enough to play without the manual. Whether you're slick with a stick or a fool at pool, you'll enjoy Side Pocket.

Two-player modes include a standard Pocket Game and a 9-Ball Game. Trading quips with a second billiards player is aces, but single-player pocket slamming is worthwhile as well. Side Pockets succeeds because it’s unassuming, cool, and sticks to the basics. Other pool offerings should take a cue.

There are plenty of bonus opportunities including a "super ball" that bounces around like crazy. The surprisingly addictive trick mode offers 19 preconfigured situations, many of which incorporate strategically-placed wine glasses. Side Pocket for the Game Gear is like having your own little pool table in the palm of your hand.

The replay for this game is better than the other two portable versions, simply due to the addition of Trick Mode. It adds a nice puzzle element to the game, almost like the “Puzzle” modes found in various puzzle games. Still, a versus mode where players can pass a single system around, as opposed to having to link up. Needless to say, this is probably the best version of Side Pocket to hit a portable, so unless the DS, the PSP or some future handheld we haven’t even heard of yet decides to bring out a new version of Side Pocket (which is doubtful, due to Data East’s bankruptcy), go for the Game Gear version.

Side Pocket's graphics feature shiny rotating balls but little else. The soundtrack has a jazzy, old-fashioned piano sound that's definitely unique but won't appeal to everybody. I was always a big fan of Side Pocket on the Genesis, and I'm happy to report that this version is nearly as good.

Side Pocket's replay value definitely depends on what emphasis you place. When it comes to simple pick-up-and-playability, Side Pocket has it in spades. Whether it’s the single-game 9-Ball mode or the mildly more engrossing Pocket mode, this game is a perfect companion for the pool shark on the road. On the other hand, don’t expect this game to have much lasting value. It doesn’t take long for the game to become monotonous, considering the low level of options, and there’s also a lack of a viable multiplayer mode (unless a second Game Boy, a second copy of Side Pocket and a link cable can be obtained). All-in-all, Side Pocket for the Game Boy isn’t bad, both as an early Game Boy game and an incarnation of its series, but it has been outclassed in both respects.

The cart does include some nice options for displaying small balls on a small screen, but the graphics are mostly standard fare. Unsurprisingly, the sound makes you want to turn the volume off. Still, slamming home your shots is a whole lot of fun.

Embodying this utilitarian approach is the game's hyper-realistic, overhead-angle table display — not as realistic, unfortunately, is its follow-the-dotted-line aiming system, which allows you to hit the cue ball in only about half a dozen places. An extensive trick-shot menu — apparently meant to compensate for this glaring limitation — is intriguing, but completely superfluous.

This is a fairly amusing cart of some of the most popular billiard games. Although the graphics are on a portable, they don't seem too bad and you can actually distinguish between the solid and striped balls. I'm sorry to say that I can't say much for the sound. Gameplay isn't bad, except after you hit the cue ball. All the balls seem to roll a little too much. Kinda makes it less realistic. It's an amusing take-along game.

Nine ball is the only common version of pool found in this simulation, which is rounded out with a unique game called Pocket and some trick shots. Lack of extras keep this one from sinking the competition.

When it comes right down to it, the Game Gear just can't match the feel of playing a game of pool in a smoky pool hall where hustlers are hustling and games are played for cash. This one's for the easily entertained.